


Making it Perfect

by Apple_Fairy



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Gakuen AU, High School AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2016-01-26
Packaged: 2018-05-16 10:01:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5824354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apple_Fairy/pseuds/Apple_Fairy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After school, Arthur finds himself alone with Kiku in the art room. He wants to tell him something, something special. Yet even with this chance, Arthur hesitates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Making it Perfect

Arthur has something to say.

Arthur doesn’t have a million things to say, not a muddled mess of emotions he wants to work through. No, Arthur has thought about this long enough, and knows exactly what he wants. He is determined and resolute, and all it takes is a few words spoken to tell Kiku exactly what he wants.

But Arthur doesn’t say anything.

“I’m very sorry about this.” Kiku says, in front of him, “I don’t mean to trouble you.”

“It’s fine, it’s not like I have to do much here anyway.”

They’re sitting in the art room after school and Kiku is sitting at an easel, sketching out Arthur who sits stiffly on a chair. Kiku had been sick recently and was catching up on some schoolwork he fell behind on, and for this one he needed a partner. The noise of the sports clubs practicing outside is faint but present. The room feels calm, a stack of easels pushed to the wall there, a mess of art supplies here. Arthur is vaguely thinking about his student council duties, but he remembers he had finished that all after Kiku had asked for his help.

Arthur wants to tell him something. He doesn’t want to miss this chance.

He watches Kiku work and there’s a pride in his chest that Kiku had chosen  _ him _ . That out of all of Kiku’s circle of friends he had picked out him. Kiku flicks his eyes back to Arthur, and Arthur freezes for a moment. He averts his eyes.

“Do you feel uncomfortable?”

Arthur was always amazed at how well Kiku could read him. He was so insightful, it’d be laughable to think you could hide anything from him.

(He half-worried Kiku could sense Arthur wanted to tell him something.)

“A bit. You’ve never stared at me this much.”

“I’ll admit, I’m a bit embarrassed too.” Kiku softly laughs, “I’m hoping I do you justice.”

“Whatever you do is fine.”

“I owe you after all.” Kiku goes back to sketching, “For last week.”

For the days that Kiku was sick, Arthur had always visited. He brought with him study materials and classwork and tea for sore throats. He had devotedly come each day, and Kiku had been embarrassed. The first time he had come to see him had been a surprised, and Kiku was mortified for Arthur to see him in such a state: bundled up in blankets, with a face mask, and playing a DS. (He still hasn’t forgiven Yong Soo for not warning him beforehand and just inviting Arthur in.) But Arthur always had to assure him he didn’t care. That it was his duty.

“Well.” Arthur says in the present, “We’re dating aren’t we?”

Kiku smiles at him. Arthur feels his face turn red. It still flustered him to say it. Perhaps because it had only happened recently is why he still felt its weight. Kiku is quiet for a moment, the sound of his pencil on paper falling between them. Arthur feels an ache start in his shoulders, but he doesn’t move.

“Yes.” Kiku finally says, hiding behind the sketchbook, “We are.”

Arthur had something to say. He wanted to tell him, especially now that they were alone. But he’s too shy, an idea of self-conscious holds him back. It was too soon, he told himself. It was entirely too soon. There is an awkward pause between them, and Arthur feels stupid for having said it. He feels stupid for having said anything. Kiku peeks around again and laughs a bit.

“Your face is still red.”

“You don’t have to point it out.”

“Is something wrong?”

In that moment, half of Arthur hoped Kiku could already tell what he wanted so as to save him the trouble of saying it.

Arthur looks away, “I’m just-”

“Please don’t move.”

Arthur rights himself obediently. “I’m just still not used to this whole dating thing.”

“It doesn’t feel like much has changed has it?”

“But I…” Arthur pauses, “I don’t hate it.”

“It is very comforting.”

It had been Arthur who confessed, Kiku remembers. They had been close before, as they are now, but Arthur began to act strange. Arthur was the type who tried to deal with his problems by himself, but he had failed to recognize how he was treating others. As a result, Kiku worried he had offended him because Arthur became cold. He was withdrawn and silent and there was something he was hiding. It took Kiku confronting him for Arthur to finally build up the courage to confess. It had all been a long-wrought affair of miscommunication, something very commonplace for their age. And so when the storm died down, and Kiku happily accepted, they went back to their usual pace.

And yet, it really felt like nothing had changed.

“It just feels like I’m supposed to act different you know?” Arthur confides in Kiku, “Like,  _ we’re _ supposed to act different.”

“Are you unhappy?”

Arthur thinks for a moment. There was no anger in this moment, and no anxiety. There was only calm discussion. Arthur likes that about being with Kiku; he’s not afraid of him. He’s more at peace, he’s more calm, he trusts him. Arthur blinks for a moment and shifts without thinking.

“Please don’t move, Arthur.”

“Sorry.” He mutters and realigns himself. He wants to turn to see him, but he suppressed that need for a moment.

“No. I’m...I’m very happy.”

“Then I think it’s okay.”

“I guess it’s a lot to get used to.” Arthur laughs. Kiku stops again, and looks at him. The sunlight was hitting him nicely, his profile was strong, his green eyes shining. 

“I think it’s normal to feel that pressure.” Kiku explains, “But I think it’s also different for everyone. I...I like you.”

Arthur bites his lip. His heart leaps.

“So I like being with you. And right now, there’s not much else I need.”

Arthur feels calmer then, more at ease. He’s also realizing what he was saying was a roundabout way of asking for what he wanted. He shouldn’t delay it. If Kiku was accepting him so much, then he should be more honest.

“However,” Kiku speaks again, “if there’s something you need from me, do tell me. I want to make you happy too.”

Arthur is stunned for a moment. He smiles. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?” Kiku is drawing again.

“You know what.”

There is a small laugh from behind the easel. “You’re very easy to read.”

Arthur takes in a deep breath. His heart is hammering away in his chest, and his shoulders are stiff. He wants to look at Kiku when he says this, but he also doesn’t want to keep holding it in. He wants to put it out there, in the open. He wants to trust him. So with butterflies beating against his stomach, Arthur gulps.

“There is one thing I want.”

“Oh?”

Kiku looks back around. Arthur’s eyes are downward, his face is a lovely pink. His lip is stiff and he looks gorgeous then, breathtakingly handsome. It also struck Kiku just how fragile he seemed then. This was a side of Arthur no one had seen before, and Kiku felt lucky but also afraid. He didn’t want to break it. He wanted to handle his heart carefully, because it was so unbelievably precious.

“We” Arthur gulps, “We haven’t kissed yet.”

Kiku’s eyes widen. God, he wonders, how could someone be so lovely?

He gets up.

Arthur stiffens and is about to move, but Kiku puts a hand up.

“Please don’t move. I’m still working.” He approaches Arthur, “I just want to be sure of something.”

Arthur’s heart is racing, and he wants some sort of comment. He wants some sort of response, some sort of closure, and although he doesn’t expect it he receives it. Kiku stops in front of him, and the sound of the sports teams are still echoing somewhere far off. There are people talking and moving, traffic outside, an entire world spinning around them. But Arthur feels at that moment something has stopped for them, and looking up, he finds Kiku observing him.

Kiku leans down a little. He holds his face. And Arthur’s breath catches when he kisses him. At the last second, he closes his eyes, and Kiku’s lips are warm but chapped. Arthur takes it in.

He feels so complete. He feels as if he’s floating.

When he goes to grab him, Kiku forces his arms down.

“I said not to move.” He whispers when they part. Arthur feels something rile up inside him.

“Kiku-!”

“Just a moment longer.”

“You’re teasing me.”

Kiku grins, proving him right. He kisses him again, and Arthur is shaking with momentum, petty and unsatisfied. Kiku pulls away again and watches him for a bit. He tilts his head, as if looking at a piece of art. Arthur is pouting.

“That’s not fair.”

“Forgive me. You were very cute just then. I couldn’t help myself.”

Kiku goes back to his sketch and looks back from his artwork to Arthur, as if comparing the results. Arthur is glaring at him, but he’s still embarrassed. This was also a side he hadn’t show anyone else, and Kiku couldn’t help but feel pride at seeing it.

“Would you hurry up?”

“I want it to be perfect.”

“Kiku!”

Kiku smiles even wider. He puts his hands up in playful surrender.

“You can move.”

Before Kiku could even blink, Arthur is already in front of him, holding him, kissing him. It’s rushed and sweet and Kiku savors it. This was much different, he realizes and he loves it all the more for it. Wrapping his arms around Arthur’s neck, he feels his warmth and he doesn’t want to let go.

When they part, Arthur is panting, still mad. “You can be pretty cruel.”

“I wanted to tease you a bit.” Kiku places his forehead against his, “I wanted to make it memorable.”

Arthur sighs heavily, and kisses Kiku’s cheek. There is a sudden need from both of them that want more. Perhaps that was the difference there; a need for intimacy coming from both of them, not from a need to conform. Arthur doesn’t dwell, but he kisses Kiku more, in between asking him if this was ok.

(Of course Kiku says it’s more then ok he can’t imagine why he’d hate it in the first place.)

At one point, Arthur looks besides them, spotting the portrait. He chuckles.

“You made me look too cute!”

Kiku blushes, “Is that strange?”

“Are my eyes  _ that _ big? I look like a cartoon.”

Kiku shrugs out of his grip. Arthur has to tell him it’s not that bad to get Kiku to stop ignoring him after that. Kiku forgives him quickly because it’s all reckless fun anyway. Arthur kisses him as he’s putting up his supplies, and it’s quick but wonderful. When they part Kiku grabs hold of his hand gently.

“May I make a request as well?”

“What is it?”

He closes his eyes. For a moment, it feels like the world is only spinning for them and them alone.

“May I keep kissing you?”

Arthur brings his hand to his lips. It feels so gentle, so understood. He gazes up at him, and he marvels how lovely Kiku looked then.

“I was hoping you would.”

Kiku looks away, a hint of something in his eyes. The two laugh, happy and just a little embarrassed. Something special had happened between them, something almost sacred. And although they were a little unsure, both felt relieved at that moment. They were understood. They were, undoubtedly, loved.


End file.
